When measuring our productivity, we usually look at how we used our time for valuable, important endeavors. A lack of productivity is usually determined when we have "wasted" time on things that are meaningless, such as too much email checking, or time scrolling mindlessly through Facebook or Twitter. However, there is something you can easily exchange that time with to something more meaningful: volunteering. And with the growth of technology and improved Internet connections, it's now a lot easier to volunteer your time virtually.

Here are three ways to volunteer from your desk, allowing you to give your time efficiently.

Send encouraging messages to foster kids in college. Through the Orphan Society of America, you can send an uplifting note, or even small gifts, to college students without families. These supportive gestures will remind them that they are not alone.

Do online shopping through charity portals. If you shop online, using a charity portal like Greater Good, will help support important charities by donating a percentage of your payment to a charity of your choice. That way, you stretch your dollars to make a great impact.

Become a virtual mentor. Through iCouldBe, you could give about an hour a week online during the school year to help support, guide, and encourage an at-risk middle school student as they meet academic challenges. While it involves a more substantial role than other opportunities, it's not very time-consuming in the long run.

Lifehack also provides more virtual volunteer opportunities in this most recent article. If these volunteer opportunities do not interest you, searching at VolunteerMatch can yield local, national, and even international volunteer opportunities that can be completed remotely from the comfort of your office or home. Many of these remote positions involve sending emails, writing newsletters, doing a little research, or simple data entry tasks--all which are important to helping an organization conduct its goodwill.

By volunteering online, you can improve your productivity and feel better about your work. For those of you seeking even more hands-on satisfaction by helping others, visit our Talent Network to find job opportunities in a wide array of healthcare related areas.

Staffing Plus is a premier healthcare staffing firm that provides temporary, per diem, temp-to-hire and permanent Staffing Solutions for Behavioral Health, Education, and Healthcare settings. We have leveraged decades of experience to assist organizations with the challenges of managing their HR and Recruiting needs.